Who: Will Herondale and Jem Carstairs When: Early November Where: Their home What: Talking Rating/Warnings: Low/None Status: Complete
It had been a little over two weeks now since the revelation that Jem, Will and Tessa all felt the same way about each other, which Jem still couldn’t believe. He had been so sure that Will was only attracted to women, like in the dreams, but boy was he shocked when he found that that wasn’t true. He’d been wanting to ask Will about that since Halloween, but the time never seemed to be right. They both had homework or work or other engagements that when they did have time to hang out together, Jem hadn’t wanted to waste it. That was a conversation they needed to have though, so once he finished his homework for the evening, he left his room to find Will.
The revelation had been playing on Will’s mind too, nothing much had seemed to change but there was this undercurrent now for them all. It was just a shame they’d all been super busy lately. He was lying on his bed, book open beside him, arm under his head and staring at the ceiling. Lost in thought about Jem, Tessa, the dreams and anything else his head was throwing at him.
Not finding Will in the living room or the kitchen, Jem headed to his Parabatai’s bedroom and instead of knocking on the door, he stopped when he saw that the door was open and Will was lying on his bed. Instead of announcing his presence, Jem stood there for a moment, simply looking at Will. His Parabatai was probably one of the most attractive people that Jem had ever met and that made the fact that Will liked him back all the more bizarre to him. Will could have anyone and he liked him. After another moment or two, Jem raised a hand and knocked on the doorframe.
Will knew he was attractive, had been getting away with things for years as a result of this and he knew exactly how to use it to his advantage. Unfortunately with that knowledge came an instinctive flirting habit which had made it difficult when trying to come onto both Jem and Tessa since they assumed he was just being him. Looking over at the door he smiled brightly, “Hey come in. You don’t have to knock you know” he added sitting up on the bed and gesturing for Jem to join him, “You okay?” he asked.
“I didn’t want to disturb you, if you were busy,” Jem said as he entered the room and sat down on the edge of Will’s bed, “But you’re clearly not very busy.” Now that he had found Will and was sitting across from him, Jem wasn’t entirely sure how to ask the questions that had been on his mind for the last couple of days.
“Nope not busy at all really” he admitted with a grin, “You okay? Did you need me for anything?” he asked, not that Jem needed a reason to want to spend time with him, in fact Will would rather like it if he simply wanted to be with him.
Jem was silent for a moment as he tried to decide how to word his request, “I actually wanted to ask you a few questions,” He said, watching Will for his reaction, “Just a few things that I’ve been curious about since we all….since Halloween.” He hoped that if he had more answers that he would be able to open up more to the fact that all three of them felt the same way about each other. “If that’s alright.”
“Sure” Will said easily, he’d already admitted he loved both Jem and Tessa after all. What did answering some questions matter, it couldn’t make things more awkward. At least he hoped not. “Ask away” he said openly.
Jem was silent for another moment or two as he continued to try and decide the best way to word his question, not that there was really any right way to word what he wanted to ask. There really was only one way, “So, are you bisexual? I mean, I had been so sure that you were straight, which was why I never…..which was why I was so surprised when you admitted that you had feelings for both Tessa and myself.” He watched Will, as he spoke to see how he would react to the question.
Will was pretty open about most things and this was no different, “It’s not that I identify as bisexual or heterosexual or anything. I think we love who we love no matter what sex they are” he shrugged, “I fell in love with you Jem, I thought I would never get to tell you but I’m glad I did get that chance” he said, taking Jem’s hand in his.
As Will took his hand, Jem’s silvery eyes dropped down to watch their hands for a moment before looking back up at Will, “When did you know? I mean, how long?” He was curious if Will had been dealing with his feelings for him and Tessa as long as Jem had been doing the same.
“Quite a while. There was an instant attraction” Will admitted, “But after moving in that’s when I really realised how deep my feelings were. I tried to flirt a little more but apparently I wasn’t obvious enough” he smiled wryly.
“You were?” As Jem thought back on it, Will had stepped up his flirting a little, but Jem hadn’t really thought too much about it, because that’s how Will always was. Even in the dreams he was constantly flirting with everyone. “I hadn’t realized you were acting any differently.” His cheeks flushed slightly at the admission, “But, right away? Really?”
Will nodded, "I know. I didn't realise how much of a flirt I was until you and Tessa didn't notice when I stepped it up. I was beginning to lose hope" he smiled then nodded, "Right away. Really" he confirmed, "Can you blame me? You're one of the most beautiful people I've ever met Jem, inside and out"
Jem would feel his cheeks becoming warmer as Will continued to speak and he was sure that it was noticeable since his skin was so much lighter than it had been before he’d begun taking the Yin Fen. “Y...you’re not too bad looking yourself.” He said, dropping his gaze for a moment before bringing his eyes back up to meet Will’s.
Will noticed the colour in his cheeks and smiled at it, he found it incredibly adorable that Jem was embarrassed. “Thank you” he said nudging Jem with his arm as he grinned at his best friend.
“It’s not as if you don’t already know that though.” Jem said, meeting Will’s eyes. Will really was quite good looking. He was handsome in a way that someone at such a young age had no business being. Then there was the fact that Will was so much more confident than he was and that just added to his appeal.
“It’s nice hearing it from someone who matters though“ Will replied smiling, as he raised his hand and stroked a finger down Jem’s cheek. Yes, Will knew he was fairly good looking but with Jem and Tessa his confidence covered his nervousness. It mattered more that they thought well of him than anybody else.
Jem wasn’t quite sure what to say after that, his eyes closing briefly as Will’s finger stroked his cheek, which still felt warm. “W...well, it’s the truth. Anyone can see it.” He was sure that when Will entered everyone stopped to stare at him.
Chuckling Will shook his head, “You’re going to be terribly good for my ego you know” he teased, “Maybe too good. Don’t go letting my head get any bigger, I’ve already been warned it’s big enough”
“Then it’s a good thing we have Tessa to scold me when I do. She’ll keep your ego from inflating any further.” Jem couldn’t help but smirk a little as he spoke. It was still a little strange to think that the three of them were now together, but at the same time, it was nice to know that they were both there for him no matter what; not that they weren’t before, but it felt different now.
“That is true. Best of both worlds for me then” he teased, Will liked that they were all together too. When he’d first began to realise how he felt he’d never imagined they’d both feel the same way and that the three of them could be happy all together. But he was incredibly glad it had turned out that way.